A banner year for women in politics

Guelph Mercury

An excerpt from an editorial first published in the Waterloo Region Record:

In three weeks, Ontario could be led by a woman for the first time in its history.

Of the seven contenders vying to replace Dalton McGuinty as Liberal leader and Ontario’s first minister, two women have emerged as impressive front-runners with the potential to take it all — Sandra Pupatello and Kathleen Wynne. If one of them wins on Jan. 26, it would mean that for the first time, half of Canada’s provinces boasting most of the country’s population would have a woman at their helm.

This would be a stunning development in Canadian democracy. But if it should happen, it will be because of a series of breakthroughs for women in provincial politics, breakthroughs that were among the most important stories in Canada in 2012. This was a year in which women gained new prominence and greater power at the provincial level.

As 2012 ends, four of Canada’s 10 provinces and one of its three territories are headed by female premiers. The most recent entry to this exclusive club was Pauline Marois, who became premier of Quebec after leading her Parti Quebecois to victory in the Sept. 4 provincial election.

Just over four months before that, Alison Redford and her Conservatives won the April 23 Alberta election. Redford had become the province’s first female premier in 2011 after being chosen leader of her party. But this year, Alberta voters endorsed her for the job. Notably, the runner-up in this election was also a woman, Danielle Smith, leader of the upstart Wildrose Party.

Is there a trend here? In 2011, Newfoundland elected Conservative Kathy Dunderdale as premier. On the West Coast, Christy Clark has ruled as British Columbia’s premier since becoming provincial Liberal leader in 2011. In Canada’s Far North, Eva Aariak has presided as Nunavut’s premier since winning the territory’s election four years ago.

Nor is the influence of women in provincial politics confined to premiers’ offices. This has been a tumultuous year in Ontario politics and as the man in charge — Dalton McGuinty — announced his premature exit, two women — Education Minister Laurel Broton and Health Minister Deb Matthews — shouldered the burden in what were arguably the highest profile and most challenging portfolios. Just think of the Ornge air ambulance scandal and the rancorous labour dispute with the province’s teachers.

You don’t have to endorse every political stand taken by these women to agree they have established themselves as strong, capable politicians and that it is good for Canada to have more women in positions of power.

Democracy means government of the people. It works best when the politicians doing the governing reflect the people who vote and can represent their diverse interests. A 2010 EKOS Research poll found that Canadian men and women differed significantly in their political priorities. Women were far more likely to put social issues at the top of their election wish list than men — 41 per cent, compared to 23 per cent. Conversely, men stressed economic matters more than women — 37 per cent compared to 29 per cent, as well as fiscal issues — 22 per cent as opposed to just 13.

It would be a mistake to conclude one sex is right and the other wrong in its priorities. What is important is that different concerns, values and priorities be fairly balanced in this country’s legislatures. What matters, too, is that equality is not just a word in our Charter of Rights but an active principle by which we live. All this is, belatedly, coming to pass as more women are elected.